Direction Finding.
Warmtoast,
I reckon you've solved the RN "FV5" problem for me ! Clearly that would be an earlier version of the RN "FV10", and of course what you have in the picture is recognisably a CR(CA)/DF console, although much different from the RAF model I used (for a start, what on earth were all the knobs, taps, instruments and switches surrounding it ?) All I remember was a bigger (I think) CRT, the QDM/QTE selector switch and at the top a green light for QDM and a red one for QTE (and I suppose there was an on/off switch, which is where my technical knowledge ends).
Yes, your lower pic shows an AN-CPN-4. This was a huge leap forward, I worked them at Thorney Island and Geilenkirchen and IMHO, this (theoretically) mobile rig had nearly as good pictures as the later AR1/PAR combination which was "plumbed-in" to Approach from two separate radar heads on the airfield. I'll (hopefully) tell my tale of my time in them in a future Post.
Now, as to my "slow and cumbersome business with a high risk of error", I readily withdraw the "high risk of error" bit where such an obviously skilled and dedicated operator as youself was concerned. But they weren't all like that; many in my day were NS men, and the arrival of a CR/DF on a station would effectively put them out of business (as far as short-range working was concerned). The consequence was that they didn't get the practice necessary to keep on the top line, and not a few reciprocals were fed via the Controller to the aircraft and sometimes the Controller was to blame for that (said he with a guilty blush).
Your description of a "manual" QGH is absolutely correct, and when you had one Anson or Wellington on your plate every half-hour, it was perfectly adequate. But the High Level QGH was designed to cope with as many Bloggs as a Controller could handle at a time and (be fair) you'd be a bit pushed with four customers at once, wouldn't you ?- to say nothing of a Speecless No Compass No Gyro Double Flame out. Speed was of the essence, in a perfect case a Meteor could be brought from 16,000 ft overhead to "Over to Local" in 2½ minutes (which'll just about cover your outbound leg).
Questions spring up: what was the smaller building ? ILS Glide Path generator ? - no, that'd be at the other end of the runway from the Radar truck. CR(CA)/DF receiver ? - quite possibly. Someone will identify it for us. Fine figure of an LAC (?) - could it be you ? So what was stuck in the left side of your belt ?
All credit to you for stepping into the breach when (presumably) your Controller was too busy. But how would you stand if your chap ploughed in ? (not too well, I'd think. Your Controller would hang with you, but that's no consolation to you).
This is a perfect example of what this Thread is all about.
Cheers, Danny